“We do not make changes at that level lightly, so it was a very difficult and challenging decision,” said Brian Cashman soon after it was announced Girardi would not be retained. “Easiest call would be plug and play and continue in safe harbor arena. I have never been safe harbor kind of person … Our issues and concerns were the ability to engage, fully communicate, and connect with the playing personnel.”

Rather than recycle an experienced big league manager or promote someone from within, the Yankees took a risk and named former Yankee Aaron Boone their new skipper. He has no prior coaching or managerial experience. None. Nada. Boone went from playing to the broadcast booth to managing. He reportedly blew the Yankees away during the interview and convinced Cashman & Co. that he’s the right guy for the job.

“I wanted this opportunity and I wanted this challenge. I wanted to be back on this side of things. I want to chase the prize,” said Boone to Mike Lupica earlier this month. “I’ll say it again, what pulled me back to this side of things was chasing that prize.”

That prize is, of course, a World Series championship, something Boone never won as a player. (The 2003 postseason was the only time he played in the postseason in his career.) And that’s the goal this year: Win the World Series. This is a win-now roster and a win-now organization. The Yankees brought a rookie manager into a situation where the goal is to be the last team standing, and, to be fair, they are not the only team in recent memory to do that. The Dodgers (Dave Roberts) and Nationals (Dave Martinez) both hired inexperienced managers in recent years.

Boone’s first Spring Training as manager went, well, like any other Spring Training. And that’s a good thing. It was business as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary happened — aside from that whole “forget to warm up Adam Warren” incident — and, to paraphrase Boone’s predecessor, that is what you want. A normal spring. By way of a preview, I have some thoughts and observations about the new manager.

1. Boone has a Torre-esque quality. Specifically his calm and the way he’s able to diffuse things with the media. Girardi was a great manager. He was not so great with the media, which is not insignificant. They can make your life miserable. Joe Torre’s best trait was, by far, the way he handled the media and diffused unfavorable situations. He was asked about whatever, he shot it down in a way that closed the book, and that was that. Girardi had a tendency to ramble and let things fester for a few days.

This spring Boone has been more Torre than Girardi when it comes to his daily briefings with the media. That Warren situation a few weeks back? It would’ve been easy for the rookie manager to blame someone else — calling down to the bullpen to tell a reliever to warm up is definitely something that gets delegated to a coach — but instead Boone took the blame, owned up to the mistake, and that was it. It was a non-issue going forward. Boone will be under the microscope all year and he could’ve shifted blame for that mistake. He owned it and that was that.

The Yankees hired Boone partly because of his communication skills, specifically his ability to interact with his players, but those communication skills also apply to the media. Torre was a master at keeping the peace and limiting distractions. Boone seems to have a similar quality, though, to be fair, he has yet to face a real crisis or even manage a regular season game. We’ll see if things change once the games start to count.

2. He’s willing to be open-minded. Everyone seems to be looking for the new Joe Maddon, that manager willing to be unconventional and try new things. Why? Because it’s different, mostly. Maddon has had success doing that but many managers have had success not doing that. To each his own. But many fans seem to want their team to hire the next Maddon. The next smart manager willing to think outside the box.

Boone, if nothing else, seems to be open-minded. He’s talked about batting Aaron Judge leadoff against lefties and Cashman confirmed that was a conversation initiated by Boone. Boone also said that, aside from Aroldis Chapman at closer, he plans to use his setup relievers interchangeably, rather than assign set roles or innings. He doesn’t want his speedy baserunners to risk outs on the bases because the Yankees have so much power. Who knows whether anything will actually come of this. For now, Boone is talking the talk. We’ll soon see if he walks the walk too.

Bard. (Presswire)

3. Let’s talk about the rest of the coaching staff. When the Yankees cut ties with Girardi, they also cut ties with much of his coaching staff. Joe Espada left to join the Astros, and Tony Pena and Alan Cockrell weren’t retained. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild stuck around, as did assistant hitting coach Marcus Thames and bullpen coach Mike Harkey. Otherwise the coaching staff is full of fresh faces:

First Base Coach: Reggie Willits (promoted from player development staff)

Third Base Coach: Phil Nevin (had been Giants third base coach)

Bullpen Coach: Mike Harkey (retained)

Catching Coach: Jason Brown (promoted from bullpen catcher)

Quality Control Coach: Carlos Mendoza (promoted from player development staff)

Bard was Boone’s teammate with the Indians back in the day, and he spent time with the Dodgers (another progressive analytics driven organization) in both the front office and on the coaching staff, so has experience on both sides of the table. He’ll help Boone quite a bit, I imagine. Nevin is more old school and that’s a necessary balance. Sometimes you need that tough love.

The coaches who were promoted from within all have experience with the young Yankees on the roster. Willits, formerly the minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator, worked with Judge during his days in the minors. He also worked with Clint Frazier and Tyler Wade and others. Mendoza was the minor league infield coordinator, meaning he spent time with Wade, Gleyber Torres, and Miguel Andujar. Pilittere has been a hitting coach at various levels over the years and he’s worked with pretty much every young Yankee at some point.

Brown, interestingly enough, is making the jump from bullpen catcher to full-time catching coach, meaning he will be tasked with helping Gary Sanchez improve his defense. He and Cashman spoke to Billy Witz about this recently:

“Everything we do as catchers starts from that stance, that setup, whether it’s the receiving, the blocking, the throwing,” said Jason Brown, the Yankees’ new catching coach. “That’s the foundation. It’s more natural for smaller guys. For Gary, it’s something that he’s been working on.”

…

(Cashman) also said Sanchez was uncomfortable with the pregame workout routine that last year’s catching coach, Tony Pena, and manager, Joe Girardi, had implemented.

In the second half of the season, Sanchez returned to the pregame regimen he had used in the minor leagues.

Hmmm. Last year Sanchez went from eleven passed balls in his first 61 games at catcher to five passed balls in his final 43 games, so he went from one every 5.45 games to one every 8.60 games. That’s better! Whether it’s real improvement or just official scoring noise is another matter. Either way, Brown is now the full-time catching coach. He is in charge of helping Sanchez (and Austin Romine) improve his catching.

The Yankees made sweeping changes to their coaching staff over the winter, but because so many of the new coaches came up from the farm system, they already have a working relationship with many players. They’re not coming in blind. Also, Bard caught CC Sabathia with the Indians and Nevin managed both Didi Gregorius and Brandon Drury in Triple-A while with the Diamondbacks, so there is some familiarity there as well. Clearly though, the Yankees wanted some new leadership and new voices in the clubhouse. They have that in Boone and they have it with his coaching staff.

* * *

My fearlessly bold prediction is the Yankees will win a lot of games this season because they are incredibly talented, and Boone will look like a genius manager. He’s in position to get a lot of credit. And, when things inevitably go wrong, he’ll get the blame. The Yankees will lose three straight at some point. They’ll score like four runs in a three-game series at some point. That’s baseball. When it happens, fingers will be pointed at Boone.

That comes with the territory. You sign up to be manager of the Yankees, you have to take the good with the bad. Boone is a baseball lifer. He knows the game. I have no doubt about that. I also have no doubt that he’s passionate about the job, that he cares for his players, and that he understands the expectations. Girardi was a very good manager and keeping him would’ve been justifiable. The Yankees decided to be bold though, and while Boone has shown some promising traits, this season will be one giant learning experience. It’s all new to him.

At long last, the Yankees announced their new coaching staff earlier today. There were no surprises. Names leaked out throughout the offseason — Aaron Boone also confirmed a bunch of coaching hires at the Winter Meetings — but now they are official. Officially official.

Boone’s coaching staff includes three holdovers from the Joe Girardi years. Larry Rothschild is back as pitching coach and Mike Harkey is back as bullpen coach, and Marcus Thames has been promoted from assistant hitting coach to hitting coach. Rothschild has been with the Yankees since 2011 and Harkey is in his second stint with the team (2008-13, 2016-present).

Thames has been coaching with the Yankees since he retired as a player in 2013. He was hitting coach for High-A Tampa in 2013, Double-A Trenton in 2014, and Triple-A Scranton in 2015 before joining the big league staff as assistant hitting coach in 2016. We’re all familiar with Rothschild, Thames, and Harkey, right? Right. Here’s what you need to know about the new guys.

Bench Coach: Josh Bard

Background: Bard, who turns 40 at the end of Spring Training, was Boone’s teammate with the 2005 Indians. He played ten years in the big leagues as a journeyman catcher from 2002-11. Bard played in Triple-A with the Dodgers in 2012, and after the season he joined the club as a special assistant. He was in the front office from 2013-15 before joining the field staff as bullpen coach in 2016.

Boone says (video link): “I think he’s a superstar in our business. I just hope we can bring him in and keep him for a while. He’s going to impact people. He has a great relationship with the front office, he really has a grasp of the analytics. I think he’s going to make my job a lot easier by being able to translate certain things, whittle things down for me. Along with being really smart — and only 39 years old, he’ll be 40 I believe in Spring Training — he’s got a presence. There’s a confidence about him. And I think he’ll be able to walk out in that room, connect with a lot of different people, and give them the information.”

Why Bard? Bard’s existing relationship with Boone probably helped him get the job, though I don’t think this is a case of hiring the manager’s buddy. Not at all. I’m guessing Bard’s front office experience with the Dodgers, a big market team heavy into analytics like the Yankees, was very appealing to Boone and Brian Cashman. Communication is a big part of the job, and obviously the team feels good about Bard’s ability to take information, boil it down, and disseminate it.

First Base Coach/Outfield Instructor: Reggie Willits

Background: Willits made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen in person. He scaled the side wall in left field at the old Yankee Stadium to rob a foul ball. Full sprint — Willits was fast as hell — leap at the wall, reach over for the catch. It was amazing. Anyway, Willits played his entire big league career with the Angels (2006-11), and after his playing career ended, he coached high school ball for two years back home in Oklahoma before joining the Yankees as a minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator in 2015. He held that role until being added to Boone’s staff.

Boone says: Can’t find anything. Boone confirmed Willits would be the first base coach at the Winter Meetings, so he talked about him, but it seems no one bothered to publish any quotes. Womp womp.

Why Willits? The 36-year-old Willits — he’s ten months younger than CC Sabathia! — has been mentioned as a potential coaching candidate for a few years now, so he’s impressed the right people in the organization during his time as a minor league coordinator. Former farm system head Gary Denbo was a big fan. Keep in mind Willits worked with a lot of Yankees players in the minors (Aaron Judge, most notably), so he’s a familiar face to some.

Third Base Coach: Phil Nevin

Nevin. (Presswire)

Background: If nothing else, Nevin had the best big league career of anyone on the coaching staff, including Boone. He played 12 years in the show (1995-2006) and retired as a career .270/.343/.472 hitter with 208 homers. Once his playing career ended, Nevin spent some time broadcasting before getting into coaching. He managed an independent league team in 2009, the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate in 2010, the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate from 2011-13, and the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate from 2014-16. Nevin served as the Giants third base coach last year. He’s interviewed for at least one big league managerial job over the years (Astros in 2014).

Boone says (video link): “Phil is more of an old school guy. A guy that’s actually gained a lot of experience after having an excellent career. He’s coached third base a lot, (he has experience) as a manager in Triple-A and Double-A, also last year with the San Francisco Giants. (Bard and Nevin) are two guys that bring two different things to the table, but I think it’s important to have different kinds of people on your staff.”

Why Nevin? Nevin and Boone grew up together and know each other well — “Aaron and I go back a little bit. I kind of grew up in the Boone house,” said Nevin during an MLB Network appearance a few weeks ago — which undoubtedly played a role in the hire. That said, Nevin has a ton of minor league managerial experience, so he’s worked with a lot of young players over the years, and the Yankees have a increasingly young roster. Also, having third base coaching experience helps, even if it is only one year’s worth.

Assistant Hitting Coach: P.J. Pilittere

Background: Pilittere has taken a long road to the big leagues. The Yankees drafted him in the 13rd round in 2004 and he played in the system from 2004-11. After retiring as a player, Pilittere remained with the Yankees as a hitting coach. He spent 2012 in the rookie Gulf Coast League, 2013 with Low-A Charleston, 2014 with High-A Tampa, 2015-16 with Double-A Trenton, and 2017 with Triple-A Scranton.

Boone says: Nothing yet.

Why Pilittere? Pilittere has worked with many young Yankees, including Judge, Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, and Tyler Wade, and they all love him. He’s an all-around great dude and is extremely popular within the organization. To me, this seems very much like a young coach doing a great job and rising up the ranks.

Quality Control Coach/Infield Instructor: Carlos Mendoza

Background: The 43-year-old Mendoza had two big league cups of coffee with the 1997 Mets and 2000 Rockies, and he also played in Mexico, Italy, and independent leagues before joining the Yankees as a minor league instructor in 2009. He’s held a variety of roles over the years, including managing the rookie Gulf Coast League squad and Low-A Charleston. Most recently, Mendoza was the team’s minor league infield coordinator. Mendoza will be in uniform and in the dugout during games.

Why Mendoza? Like Willits, Mendoza has been mentioned as a big league coaching candidate for a few years now. He has experience working with the club’s young infielders, most notably Torres and Andujar, but also Wade, Thairo Estrada, and Greg Bird. Also, Mendoza is the only Spanish speaker on the coaching staff, so he’ll help communicate and relay information to guys like Sanchez, Torres, Andujar, and Aroldis Chapman in their first language.

* * *

In other field staff news, both Jason Brown and Radley Haddad will return as bullpen catchers and Brett Weber returns as the video replay guru. Their official titles: catching coach (Brown), coaching assistant/bullpen catcher (Haddad), and coaching assistant/instant replay coordinator (Weber). All holdovers from last season.

Got some random minor league notes cluttering up with browser with extraneous tabs, so let’s dump them all here…

The Yankees signed Preston Mattingly (Don’s son) earlier this offseason, and yesterday he spoke to Kevin Kernan about his father, his upbringing, stuff like that. Preston isn’t much of a prospect despite being a first round pick back in the day, so he’ll just fill out the High-A Tampa roster this summer.

Long-time organizational catcher P.J. Pilittere will be part of the coaching staff for the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Yankees this year. The move isn’t much of a surprise if you read Mike Ashmore’s piece on Pilittere last August.

Remember Juan Carlos Paniagua? The Yankees signed him for $1.1M last spring, but he was later suspended and had his contract voided due to falsified documents. He’s now trying out for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, so I guess MLB isn’t planning on reinstating him anytime soon.

The Yankees signed right-hander Andury Acevedo and catcher David Remedios. Acevedo spent 2007-2010 in the Pirates’ farm system as an infielder, but apparently the Yankees are putting him on the mound. Remedios is a Cuban defector and is most notable for having an 85-minute at-bat on Christmas Eve a few years ago.